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US hopeful of fair polls in Bangladesh: Bernicat
Rtv online desk
25 Feb 2018, 00:00
US Ambassador in Dhaka Marcia Bernicat on Sunday hoped that the next national election will be free, fair and participatory, and laid emphasis on creating conditions to make that happen. Reports UNB.
‘This democracy, this Bangladesh, has held free and fair elections in the past. People know what to do,’ she told a small group of reporters after her meeting at the Foreign Ministry.
The US Ambassador said Bangladeshi people do not need foreigners to mediate and it is up to the Bangladeshi people to participate and have a free and fair election.
‘So, can that (fair polls) happen? Yes. Should it happen? Absolutely,’ Ambassador Bernicat said.
She said all the required conditions must be there in place for those who live in a democracy in order to have ‘free, fair, credible and inclusive elections’.
‘You live in democracy, I live in democracy. So, you need freedom of speech, freedom of association and freedom of assembly,’ Bernicat said.
Earlier, she had a meeting with Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque and discussed various issue of mutual interest.
AH
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Mild Cold Wave Grips Panchagarh, Temperature Drops to 9.8°C
In Tetulia, Panchagarh, a mild cold wave has caused the temperature to drop again to 9°C, intensifying the feeling of severe cold. Although the sun has been visible since morning, its warmth is lacking.
According to the Meteorological Office, the lowest temperature in Tetulia was recorded at 9.8°C at 6 a.m. on Sunday (December 22).
Meanwhile, the entire Panchagarh region has been gripped by the intensity of the cold. The biting chill has paralyzed daily life, especially between dusk and 10 a.m., when the cold feels most severe.
The situation has worsened the plight of day laborers, who are unable to start work on time. Although the temperature slightly rises as the day progresses, the cold intensifies again in the afternoon.
From night till morning, roads remain covered in dense fog, creating difficulties for vehicle drivers. They have to navigate cautiously with headlights on.
The icy cold winds flowing from the Himalayas and the winter chill have led to a rise in cold-related illnesses. The outpatient departments of hospitals across the district and upazilas are seeing an increasing number of patients suffering from cold-related ailments. Doctors are providing treatment along with advice on prevention and recovery from such illnesses.
Jitendra Nath, Assistant In-Charge of the First-Class Weather Observation Center in Tetulia, said, "The mild cold wave is causing a biting chill. This morning at 6 a.m., the lowest temperature recorded in Tetulia was 9.8°C. The temperature may drop further in the coming days."
10-Vehicle Pileup on Dhaka-Mawa Expressway, Fears of Multiple Casualties
A collision involving 10 vehicles, including buses, occurred on the Dhaka-Mawa Expressway due to dense fog early Sunday morning (December 22) in the Sirajdikhan and Sreenagar areas of Munshiganj. Authorities fear multiple casualties.
The accident began around 4 a.m. with a collision between two cargo trucks. Later, at approximately 7:30 a.m., another bus rammed into a stationary one, injuring several people. Simultaneously, a pickup van struck a private car, causing further injuries.
Highway police and fire service teams rushed to the scene to initiate rescue operations.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abdul Kader Jilani of Hasara Highway Police Station stated, “We are working to clear the damaged vehicles from the road and restore traffic flow. The dense fog in the morning led to multiple collisions.”
He added that five people were injured in the incident and were promptly taken to the upazila health complex for treatment. Police suspect excessive speed combined with poor visibility from the fog as the primary cause of the accidents.
Dhaka's Air Quality Remains Hazardous, Nearing Dangerous Levels
Dhaka's air quality shows no signs of improvement, remaining highly unhealthy with an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 287 today. Just 13 points more would classify the city's air as dangerous.
According to AQI data from air monitoring agency IQAir at 9:14 a.m. on Sunday (December 22), the capital’s air quality remains alarming.
The IQAir index defines air quality scores as follows:
0–50: Good
51–100: Moderate
101–150: Unhealthy for sensitive groups
151–200: Unhealthy
201–300: Very unhealthy
Above 300: Hazardous or disastrous
Dhaka's latest AQI score places it perilously close to the hazardous threshold.
Switzerland-based IQAir regularly monitors global air pollution levels. According to their report, Dhaka's primary pollutant is fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which poses serious health risks such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and long-term conditions like cancer.
As of today, Delhi, India, tops the pollution index with a hazardous AQI of 598, while Lahore, Pakistan, ranks second with a very unhealthy AQI of 291. Dhaka follows closely in third place with a score of 287.
Chhatra Dal Activist Shot Dead in Narsingdi
A member of the Chhatra Dal (BNP's student wing) was shot and killed by assailants while playing badminton in Narsingdi. The incident occurred around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday (December 21) in the Panchdona area of the sadar upazila.
The deceased, Humayun Kabir, was the son of Ekramul Haque from Panchdona village and an active member of the Meherpara Union Chatra Dal.
According to family members and locals, Humayun was playing badminton in his neighborhood when two individuals, Shah Alam and Titu, called him over to a nearby mosque. They then shot him and fled the scene. He was later rescued and taken to Narsingdi Sadar Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Madhabdi Police Station's Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Nazrul Islam stated, "At some point during the badminton game, unidentified assailants shot Humayun and escaped. It is believed that the murder may be the result of a past dispute."
He added that the police are working to uncover the true motive behind the murder and to arrest the perpetrators.
Ship Robbed in Chandpur's Meghna River, 6 Killed
In the Meghna River of Chandpur, the dead bodies of six people have been recovered from a cargo ship. It is suspected that they may have been killed in a pirate attack.
The bodies were discovered after 1 pm on Monday (December 23).
Lieutenant Colonel Shams, Staff Officer of the Bangladesh Coast Guard (Dhaka Zone), confirmed the incident to the media.
The ship is identified as MV Al-Bakhera, and it was anchored at the time of the discovery.
5 Arrested for Harassing a Freedom Fighter
Five individuals have been arrested for harassing Abdul Hai Kanu, a valiant freedom fighter, by forcibly placing a garland of shoes around his neck in Chauddagram, Cumilla. Later, they were presented before the court under Section 54 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).
Chauddagram Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) ATM Akhtar-Uz-Zaman confirmed the matter on Tuesday (December 24) afternoon.
The arrested individuals are Ismail Hossain Majumder (43) and Md Jamal Uddin Majumder (58) from Kuliyara village in Chauddagram. Ilias Bhuiyan (58), Abul Kalam Azad (48), an imam of Kuliyara Mosque from Raikot village in Nangalkot, and Imtiaz Abdullah Sajjad (19) from Chandpur District Sadar.
According to the OC, since no formal case has been filed in this regard, the arrested individuals were presented to the court under Section 54. They were identified through viral social media video footage of the incident. Police teams are actively conducting operations to apprehend other suspects involved.
Cold Wave Grips Panchagarh, Temperature Drops to 9°C
A mild cold wave has been sweeping over Panchagarh, a northern district of the country nestled at the foothills of the Himalayas for two consecutive days. The piercing cold wind has severely disrupted the daily lives of the district's residents.
On Wednesday (December 25) at 9 am, the temperature was recorded at 9.3°C. Earlier at 6 am, it was slightly higher at 9.4°C.
Meanwhile, the biting cold has caused great suffering for the locals, especially due to a lack of warm clothing. Daily activities have been hampered, particularly for low-income individuals. At night, dense fog falls like drizzle, adding to the chilling conditions. The elderly and children are facing extreme discomfort in this bone-chilling cold.
Jitendra Nath Roy, an official at the first-class weather observation station in Tetulia, confirmed that the district is experiencing a mild cold wave. He reported that the temperature was recorded at 9.4°C at 6 am and 9.3°C at 9 am.
